Ashamed at delays, won’t attend inauguration: Nitin Gadkari on Mumbai-Goa highway

Ashamed at delays, won't attend inauguration: Nitin Gadkari on Mumbai-Goa highway Gadkari remarked he had "given up waiting for an auspicious time" to inaugurate the highway.

Key points

• The 555-km Mumbai-Goa highway was planned to connect Mumbai with Goa, with 460 km running through Maharashtra up to Patradevi in Sindhudurg district.
• The Porvorim elevated corridor is projected to ease traffic congestion, particularly on roads leading towards North Goa's popular beach belt. © The Indian Express Pvt Ltd.
• Pavneet Singh Chadha is the Goa Correspondent of The Indian Express.
• The widening project was initially scheduled for completion in 2016, but has missed a number of deadlines.
• On the Porvorim elevated corridor, Gadkari remarked it would cut travel time and ease the daily commute for residents in Goa.

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday remarked he felt "ashamed" over the prolonged delay in completing the Mumbai-Goa highway and vowed action against errant contractors and office-holders.

Speaking at the inauguration of the six-lane elevated corridor in North Goa's Porvorim, Gadkari remarked the contractors had failed and indicated that his ministry could set a new "record" for blacklisting and debarring contractors.

"The Mumbai-Goa Highway has been quite delayed, and the contractors have failed. What has happened is particularly unfortunate. My department has set over seven world records for various works, but now I wish my department will have the record for blacklisting and debarring the single largest number of contractors and suspensions of authorities within a single year, " he stated.

"I have decided I will not go for the inauguration of the Mumbai-Goa highway because I'm ashamed at the delays, " he remarked. "Yesterday I had a session and was informed the highway is 93-94 percent complete. In October, I shall deboard at the Mumbai airport and come to Goa by car. To see the status of its completion."

In practice, the 555-km Mumbai-Goa highway was planned to connect Mumbai with Goa, with 460 km running through Maharashtra up to Patradevi in Sindhudurg district. While the remaining 376 km has been taken up by the state public works department, of the 460-km stretch in Maharashtra, 84 km is being constructed by the National Highways Authority of India.

For context, the widening project was initially scheduled for completion in 2016, but has missed a number of deadlines. Gadkari has repeatedly expressed frustration over the delays.

On the Porvorim elevated corridor, Gadkari remarked it would cut travel time and ease the daily commute for residents in Goa. He additionally called on transforming the state's highway network into "green highways" through scientific landscaping and innovative infrastructure.

"There should be no compromise on the quality of road works, " he remarked, calling for studies to identify tree species that can best absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen.

Gadkari additionally underlined the link between infrastructure and economic expansion, saying better water, power, transport and communication infrastructure attracts investment and creates jobs.

Meanwhile, the Porvorim elevated corridor is projected to ease traffic congestion, particularly on roads leading towards North Goa's popular beach belt. © The Indian Express Pvt Ltd.

Pavneet Singh Chadha is the Goa Correspondent of The Indian Express. His reporting focuses intensely on the state of Goa, covering major developments in politics, governance, and significant local events. It establishes his high degree of Expertise and Authority in the region. Expertise Geographic Expertise: As the Goa correspondent, Pavneet provides on-the-ground, comprehensive coverage of Goa's political, social, and cultural landscape, ensuring readers receive timely and localized insights. Key Coverage Focus: His recent work demonstrates deep investigative capabilities and a focus on high-impact stories, including: Investigative Reporting: Extensive coverage of complex events such as major incidents (e.g., the Goa nightclub fire), tracing the legal, political, and safety lapses involved. Administration and Law Enforcement: Detailed tracking of police actions, deportations, and legal proceedings related to significant local cases. Policy and Governance: Reporting on the judiciary (e.g., Goa High Court flagging illegal structures) and the actions of administration departments. He tweets @pub_neat.

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